Verizon Wireless announced it has selected Spirent Communications as a testing solution provider for the certification of 4G LTE (News - Alert) devices that will operate on the LTE network the company is building on the Upper 700 MHz C-Block spectrum.

 

Recently TMCnet reported that Verizon (News - Alert) Wireless is planning to launch its 4G LTE wireless network across 25 to 30 markets by next year. This would effectively extend to its entire present national 3G footprint with the next-generation network by the end of 2013, the report said.

 

Spirent, the first company selected by Verizon Wireless for providing approved LTE test equipment, will provide Verizon with hardware, test simulators, system simulators and software for test automation. Any organization considering offering devices on the upcoming Verizon Wireless LTE network can use these tools in preparation for device certification by independent labs, company officials added.

 

Migration to LTE, according to Spirent, represents the wireless world’s most significant evolutionary step since the introduction of cellular services. New, complex modulation schemes such as OFDMA, SC-FDMA and multi-antenna techniques, as well as new, all-IP flat network architecture, are all being rolled out simultaneously.

 

Moreover, the newly available spectrum bands such as 700 MHz, though desirable in many ways, also bring their own significant challenges and pitfalls. Spirent is working with leading operators to address in their test plans, company officials added.

 

Verizon Wireless expects to announce additional testing solutions, according to company sources.

 

In another recent development Verizon Wireless and Motorola announced collaboration to implement wireless high definition video streaming over Verizon Wireless’ pre-commercial LTE network with Motorola’s (News - Alert) 4G LTE mobile platform.

 

Wireless HD video streaming over LTE will provide mobile consumers with high-speed wireless broadband experience in their mobile devices, said company sources.